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ENCIT 2022
19th Brazilian Congress of Thermal Sciences and Engineering
IMPACT OF COLD HEAT PIPES ON THE NUCLEAR ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM MASS FOR SPACE POWER GENERATION
Submission Author:
Guilherme Borges Ribeiro , SP , Brazil
Co-Authors:
Ermerson Moura, Izabela Henriques, Guilherme Borges Ribeiro
Presenter: Guilherme Borges Ribeiro
doi://10.26678/ABCM.ENCIT2022.CIT22-0198
Abstract
The new space age that humanity is living is constantly expanding the limit of human presence in the solar system. New missions are being planned by space agencies and private companies to take man to planets like Mars. However, for missions like this to be possible, high-efficiency power generation systems are needed. In this perspective, nuclear power generation systems are an excellent option, as they are able to supply energy for a long period in a constant way. For systems like this to become viable, high-efficiency, low-mass energy conversion systems must be used. In this scenario, the dynamic Stirling conversion cycle proves to be an excellent option. However, these systems have several components that can make them very heavy, which could prevent their application, given the need for the system to have good compactability and low mass to allow it to be launched into space. Among these components, the heat pipe-radiator assembly is the one that has the greatest participation in the size and total mass of the system, reaching more than 1/3 of the total mass. With this in mind, this work carried out a thermodynamic modeling of the Stirling cycle together with an asymmetrical heat pipe model, to evaluate the dimensional impact of low temperature heat pipes on the system total mass. With the model, it was possible to identify that the reduction of the engine cold side temperature considerably increases the system mass, due to the need to use a greater heat-pipe-radiator system. Taking into account the configuration of the cold heat pipes, it was possible to conclude that increasing the number of heat pipes provides the greatest increase in mass for the rejection system in relation to the increase in the length and diameter of the cold heat pipes. The results also indicated that an optimization between the amount of heat pipes, heat pipes diameter and length is necessary to reach an optimal value of the heat rejection system mass.
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